PBA: Singletary leads Barako Bull comeback over GlobalPort

Mike Singletary of Barako Bull (dark) vs Jay Washington of GlobalPort (light). PHOTO by Nuki Sabio/PBA IMAGE.

MANILA, Philippines — Barako Bull import Michael Singletary erupted for 43 points to lead the Energy to a 98-97 rally past GlobalPort in the 38th PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Singletary scored 27 points in the second half, 14 in the fourth quarter alone, as Barako Bull came back from 18 points down, 57-75, late in the third quarter.

“We’re lucky,” said Barako Bull consultant Rajko Toroman. “Global was a better team for three quarters and for three quarters we didn’t play good. We had just one player offensively with Singletary. We didn’t have Emman (Monfort) today and it was very, very difficult to win the game.

Struggling for the first three quarters of the game, the Energy got into the flow of things with Singletary and Danny Seigle, who scored all of his 10 points in the final frame, teaming up to score 22 straight points in the pivotal stretch.

Seigle tied the game at 87 before a triple by Singletary knotted the count anew at 90 with four minutes left.

“We put our big lineup with Michael Singletary at the three and Danny Seigle on four and we made a good run. We won with a big heart. It was almost impossible to win this kind of game,” added Toroman, whose team tied idle Meralco in second place with identical 4-2 records.

But it wasn’t just Singletary and Seigle who did the damage. Mark Macapagal also chipped in a trey that gave Barako Bull a 96-94 cushion, with 1:55 to go.

Emman Monfort, who struggled with just four points — missing all of his five field goal attempts, came up big at the line with two crucial free throws that stretched the Energy’s lead to three, 98-95, with only 43.6 ticks left.

Batang Pier import Markeith Cummings pumped in 40 points while Sol Mercado tallied 16 points. Mercado almost sank a desperation three but the ball went in and out at time ran out.

Singletary also grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out five assists.

Yousef Taha contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds for GlobalPort, which reeled to its third straight setback for a 2-4 mark.